Abstract Detail

Where have all the lichens gone? Lichen diversity decline and its consequences to the terrestrial biome.

Lichens are widely hypothesized to be important constituents of many terrestrial ecosystems. Yet paradoxically many aspects of their basic biology and roles in ecosystem function remain poorly understood. This presentation will focus on the question of how large-scale changes in the lichen biota of eastern North America may be impacting large scale forest health and the buffering capacity of ecosystems during periods of high environmental stresses. It will highlight these issues and place them in the broader context of new assessments of lichen diversity in eastern North America, particularly the southern Appalachians and Mid-Atlantic Coastal Plain.